Collectibles abound at new Yreka gallery

Thursday

Jun 20, 2013 at 9:42 AMJun 20, 2013 at 9:51 AM

By Ami RidlingDaily News Staff Writer

REKA – Whether visitors like antique dolls, unique clocks or limited-edition collectibles, there is something for everyone’s viewing pleasure among the G.W. Nelson Collection at Franco American Hotel in Yreka.

Roselie and Gary Nelson are the proud owners of Yreka’s newest tourist attraction, located at 310 W. Miner St. The historic hotel’s 3,800-square-foot ground floor is now home to unique and antique items from all over the world that the Nelsons have collected over their lifetime.

No items are for sale, as the treasures in the G.W. Nelson Collection are intended to be enjoyed by all visitors who stroll through the old hotel for years to come.

The Nelsons will not charge admission to enter the facility, and they are working to obtain 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

As lifetime antique collectors, Nelson stated that he and his wife have dreamed of opening a viewing gallery to display their collection for more than 30 years.

Having visited Yreka many times and participated in Gold Rush Days, they decided the Golden City was the place where they wanted to showcase their collection

. The Nelsons purchased the Franco American Hotel in October 2012. Since then, they labored to prepare the hotel, built in 1857, to display the collection. On the ground floor, they installed new flooring and reinforcements, and removed layers of old wallpaper and painted.

They are currently renovating the second floor, and upon completion, the 7,500-square-foot space will be their living quarters. Nelson stated that he and his wife do not intend to offer boarding on the second floor in the future.

The antiques and collectibles were transported from the Nelson’s Medford home, and the Franco American Hotel’s opening day was on Saturday for Gold Rush Days.

“We had a lot of people in here on Saturday and the public’s response was very positive,” said Nelson. “Ultimately, we hope to draw people to the city of Yreka and Miner Street.” He added that the collection is the only one of its kind within hundreds of miles of Yreka.

The G.W. Nelson Collection experience begins at the building entrance, where animated store displays such as a waving Mickey Mouse doll and a swinging clown entertain and delight in the front window.

The scene is reminiscent of the 1930s and 1940s, when browsing window displays while wandering through downtown was a popular pastime, explained Nelson.

Upon entering the hotel, visitors may view the Victorian-style parlor room, where a rare 1910 Wurlitzer CX is on display. A late 19th-century German dining room set and an early 20th-century shrunk with hand-beveled glass and marble inlays are also featured.

The display room, which was the hotel’s old dining room, contains a series of glass display cases that feature large and small composition, porcelain and rubber dolls as well as unique contemporary dolls.

Among other items are old store displays, such as the Sweetheart Baby doll from the 1930s. The electric dolls with movable legs were once displayed in shops, holding bars of Sweetheart soap in their hands, said Nelson.

A Pez collection, doll houses, miniature carousels, old and new Coca-Cola novelty items, late 19th-century bustle dresses, antique undergarments, old Amish and German baby carriages, antique children’s sewing machines and a 9-foot-tall Velociraptor Mongoliensis dinosaur statue that Nelson purchased from an Asian theme park are among the other treasures.

The clock room on the east side of the hotel features a reproduced calliope organ. Historically, the instruments provided Merry-Go-Round music, explained Nelson. The room is clad with a variety of rare and antique clocks, including grandfather, skeleton and cuckoo clocks.

It is home to the largest cuckoo clock ever made in Germany, explained Nelson. The wooden, hand-carved 1909 clock is more than 50 inches tall and features 3-dimensional animals as well as removable wooden guns.

Among other items in the clock room are historic arcade games, a limited-edition Star Wars’ Chewbacca head prototype, an antique Ediphone (recorder) once used in a police station and organs that each have a unique story behind them.

“I love to talk about my toys, my collection,” said Nelson. “This is an opportunity for me to share history, explain the way things were and show people things that they have probably never seen anywhere else.”

The Franco American Hotel will be open Fridays and weekends. Guided tours will be available upon request.

For more information about the G.W. Nelson Collection, contact Nelson at (541) 210-1234.